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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: firm · swing · lean · rock · suit · stand · squash · ruler

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rock — a stone
  8. swing — to play on
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lean — to bend
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lean — thin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. swing — in golf
  20. squash — the sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rock — music
  24. swing — music

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