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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — a company
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spell — letters
  19. mug — a face
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mug — to rob
  23. spell — magic
  24. mouse — the animal

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