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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rest — what's left
  3. firm — decided
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rest — a break
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. drill — the tool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. firm — a company
  10. drill — army training
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fine — all right
  18. rest — what's left

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