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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rule — government
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rule — a law
  5. bound — certain
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ground — a position
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — decided
  11. ground — crushed
  12. tear — from crying
  13. track — a song
  14. firm — steady
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ground — the earth
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bound — obliged

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