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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — decided
  3. stand — to bear
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. dip — to sink
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. staff — employees
  15. content — happy
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. content — the amount
  22. staff — a stick
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. staff — employees

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