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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fall — to drop
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bound — certain
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. fall — the season
  14. bound — tied together
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — a committee
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fall — to drop
  24. board — to get on

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