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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — thin
  6. firm — a company
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. deal — to handle
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rock — music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — a stone
  19. firm — decided
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pound — for dogs

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