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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cold — not warm
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — a company
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — a gift
  15. cold — an illness
  16. stand — to bear
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — there
  23. fine — high quality
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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