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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · firm · spell · toast · dip · safe · capital · stand

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. firm — a company
  3. spell — letters
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. capital — a city
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stand — to bear
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. firm — decided
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. spell — a short time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. capital — money
  16. sharp — clever
  17. dip — to sink
  18. spell — magic
  19. firm — steady
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. safe — out of danger

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