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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. firm — steady
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wound — an injury
  21. firm — decided
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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