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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rock — music
  8. firm — a company
  9. hand — help
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. firm — decided

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