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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stand — to bear
  5. firm — steady
  6. object — to protest
  7. tube — the underground
  8. object — a thing
  9. firm — decided
  10. tube — a container
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. capital — money
  13. game — wild animals
  14. toast — bread
  15. face — part of the head
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — a match
  20. capital — a city
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. capital — a big letter

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