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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — steady
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — decided
  7. rock — a stone
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — a company
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. capital — a city
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. capital — money
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. hand — in cards
  23. lean — to bend
  24. capital — a big letter

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