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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · cell · shower · firm · stick · dip

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. 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. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stand — to bear
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. shower — rain
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. dip — to sink
  11. shower — to wash
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. firm — steady
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cell — a phone
  18. 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