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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 · wound · mark · jam · bay · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — to bear
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. firm — decided
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. firm — steady
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — on your feet

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