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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rash — hasty
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. present — a gift
  7. firm — a company
  8. rash — a series
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. firm — steady
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. present — the time now
  20. pit — a hole
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. row — a line
  23. present — there
  24. firm — decided

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