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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 124 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — for money
  3. march — the month
  4. rest — a break
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — decided
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rest — what's left
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — for money
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — the month
  20. lie — to recline
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bore — to tire
  24. march — music

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