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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. tear — from crying
  4. firm — a company
  5. charge — in control
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. tear — to rip
  9. firm — steady
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — decided
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — a price
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. tube — the underground
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stand — on your feet

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