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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tube — a container
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bay — a horse colour

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