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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. spell — a short time
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lean — thin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. kick — in football
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spell — magic
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spell — letters
  20. firm — decided
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — a company

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