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

Word bank: stand · club · deal · cold · object · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — an aim
  3. cold — an illness
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. object — to protest
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. object — a thing
  10. club — a group
  11. cold — not warm
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. deal — to handle

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