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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: firm · plane · stand · lie · wound · deal · rock · present

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. present — a gift
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — a tool
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. firm — a company
  10. rock — music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. present — there
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — to handle
  16. present — the time now
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. firm — steady

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