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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: board · rest · dip · firm · stand · staff · tear · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. board — to get on
  3. firm — steady
  4. tear — from crying
  5. board — a committee
  6. rest — what's left
  7. firm — decided
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rest — what's left
  10. staff — employees
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — employees
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. firm — a company
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. tear — from crying

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