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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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Word bank
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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 · firm · hide · craft · cold · object

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cold — an illness
  6. cold — not warm
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — boats
  14. object — an aim
  15. firm — decided
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. firm — steady
  18. cold — the Cold War

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