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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 124 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. drill — a practice
  11. fall — to drop
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. fall — the season
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. firm — a company
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — to bear
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. drill — the tool

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