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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. firm — decided
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. tear — from crying
  8. chip — to eat
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — for betting
  14. tear — to rip
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — steady
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bound — obliged
  22. tear — from crying
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. firm — a company

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