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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ground — the earth
  8. firm — steady
  9. club — a group
  10. drill — army training
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ground — a position
  16. firm — decided
  17. club — for golf
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. saw — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. firm — a company
  22. ground — crushed
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stand — on your feet

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