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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. race — humankind
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rash — hasty
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. fine — all right
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ball — a great time
  18. firm — decided
  19. rash — a series
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. race — a contest
  22. firm — a company
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bowl — to roll

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