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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. shower — rain
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rest — what's left
  9. can — to be able to
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. firm — decided
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rest — a break
  23. firm — a company
  24. coach — a trainer

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