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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. firm — decided
  4. fine — all right
  5. wound — an injury
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. firm — a company
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fine — high quality

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