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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · pit · last · firm · lie · roll · capital · stand

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. roll — a list
  3. firm — a company
  4. last — to go on
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pit — in a race
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — steady
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. capital — money
  20. last — finally
  21. capital — a city
  22. last — final
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stand — to bear

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