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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rock — music
  4. rash — a series
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cap — of ice
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. object — a thing
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. object — an aim
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. firm — decided
  18. rash — hasty
  19. firm — steady
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — to protest
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rush — a thrill

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