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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 120 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cold — an illness
  3. firm — steady
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. can — to be able to
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — all right
  12. cold — not warm
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bound — tied together
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. firm — decided
  19. bound — certain
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — a company
  24. can — a tin

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