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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cold — not warm
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. press — a publisher
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stand — to bear
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. firm — a company
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chair — a leader
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. press — to push
  24. cold — an illness

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