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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. current — of water
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. current — happening now
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bat — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. key — in music
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. firm — a company
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mine — for digging
  17. firm — steady
  18. chair — a leader
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. firm — decided
  24. hide — to keep secret

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