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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 116 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stand — to bear
  5. object — a thing
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — steady
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — music
  15. march — the month
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bat — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — decided
  22. object — to protest
  23. firm — a company
  24. staff — employees

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