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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fall — the season
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wind — moving air
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. drill — a practice
  10. firm — a company
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — to protest
  13. squash — to crush
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. object — a thing
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — an aim
  24. firm — decided

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