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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rest — what's left
  6. court — of a king
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — a company
  14. bound — obliged
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — decided
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — a break

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