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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stand — to bear
  10. hand — in cards
  11. present — the time now
  12. spell — a short time
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. spell — magic
  18. file — a tool
  19. spell — letters
  20. file — a document
  21. firm — a company
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rock — music

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