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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rock — a stone
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — steady
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fall — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. band — a ring
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bound — obliged
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. band — a music group
  19. bound — certain
  20. firm — a company
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — to bear

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