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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. present — there
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — a permit
  7. content — happy
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cap — of ice
  11. content — the amount
  12. cap — a lid
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — music
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cap — a hat
  23. present — the time now
  24. content — videos and posts

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