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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. board — to get on
  3. stand — to bear
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — decided
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. present — a gift
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. present — there
  18. bulb — for light
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a leader
  24. firm — steady

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