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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — rain
  5. swing — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mug — to rob
  8. firm — steady
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bear — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mug — a face

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