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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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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 · fine · rule · nail · bear · stick · hide · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. firm — steady
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — a company
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fine — all right
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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