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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. march — the month
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. march — the month
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — the animal
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kick — in football
  18. march — music
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. board — to get on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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