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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cap — a hat
  3. firm — decided
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. face — to point toward
  7. tube — the underground
  8. face — part of the head
  9. season — of the year
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cap — a lid
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. firm — steady
  14. season — in sport
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. face — to confront
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. tube — a container
  23. content — happy
  24. cap — of ice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com