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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. spring — the season
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. firm — steady
  5. roll — a cake
  6. spring — of water
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. craft — boats
  9. firm — a company
  10. stand — to bear
  11. firm — decided
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a dance
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — the time now
  21. roll — a list
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. present — a gift

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