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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — to cut
  3. shower — rain
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — a video
  8. shower — to wash
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. firm — decided
  18. stand — to bear
  19. sharp — clever
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  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