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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 124 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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