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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. firm — decided
  15. rest — a break
  16. rule — government
  17. hand — in cards
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. craft — boats
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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