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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. content — the amount
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — completely
  5. board — to get on
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pit — a hole
  8. board — a committee
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fall — the season
  11. firm — steady
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. firm — decided
  16. date — the fruit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fall — to drop
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. content — happy
  24. firm — a company

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