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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. clip — to cut
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. clip — for paper
  11. firm — a company
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. stand — to bear
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. clip — a video
  22. kid — child
  23. stand — on your feet
  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