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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: jam · stand · ball · mine · fall · key · firm · degree

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. degree — from a university
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fall — to drop
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. key — for a lock
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — steady
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a dance
  23. degree — temperature
  24. mine — for digging

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