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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — a thing
  3. wake — a trail
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. press — a publisher
  12. object — to protest
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. press — newspapers
  17. firm — a company
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stand — on your feet

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