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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. fine — high quality
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — to be able to
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — to bear
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wind — moving air
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — a company
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — decided
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fine — all right
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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