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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.

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: row · bore · firm · sharp · fine · cap · stand · cold

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cold — an illness
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — to bear
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. firm — a company
  11. bore — to tire
  12. sharp — clever
  13. row — a line
  14. cap — a lid
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — decided
  17. cap — of ice
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cold — not warm
  20. firm — steady
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — to drill
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fine — all right

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