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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — decided
  3. bound — certain
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — a company
  6. lean — to bend
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. present — a gift
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lean — thin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bound — tied together
  18. row — a line
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. dip — to sink
  22. stand — to bear
  23. present — there
  24. firm — steady

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