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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 116 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ground — a position
  4. lean — thin
  5. firm — a company
  6. squash — to crush
  7. firm — decided
  8. ground — the earth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rock — music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. firm — steady
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lean — to bend

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