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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 124 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — steady
  3. rule — government
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. firm — decided
  7. club — a group
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. club — for golf
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — a law
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wind — moving air
  17. stem — to come from
  18. firm — a company
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. lie — an untruth

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