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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. rest — what's left
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rest — a break
  10. saw — the tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rock — music
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — on your feet

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