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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 116 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. firm — steady
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. charge — in control
  6. last — to go on
  7. charge — a price
  8. present — the time now
  9. last — final
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. firm — a company
  18. ground — crushed
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. present — there
  22. last — finally
  23. plane — a tool
  24. firm — decided

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