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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. firm — steady
  3. stand — to bear
  4. firm — decided
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. craft — boats
  14. bound — certain
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. content — the amount
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. firm — a company
  19. content — happy
  20. rock — music
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bound — tied together
  23. present — there
  24. pitcher — a jug

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