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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. object — to protest
  3. spell — magic
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. object — a thing
  7. firm — decided
  8. net — after costs
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cue — a signal
  16. object — an aim
  17. spell — letters
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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