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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ground — the earth
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — steady
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of law
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ground — a position
  21. court — for sport
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. court — of a king
  24. swing — music

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