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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — a company
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — an illness
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cold — not warm
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bound — tied together
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stand — for spectators

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