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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bear — the animal
  10. last — final
  11. rush — hurry
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. last — to go on
  17. firm — a company
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. last — finally
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — decided
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — to hurry

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