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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · safe · ground · rash · stand · face · tube · straw

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. tube — a container
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. face — part of the head
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. firm — a company
  12. rash — a series
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. face — to point toward
  15. ground — crushed
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rash — hasty
  18. firm — decided
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. face — to confront
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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