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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: cue · rash · chair · capital · saw · temple · firm · stand

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. rash — a series
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rash — hasty
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. firm — steady
  19. cue — a hint
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chair — a leader
  22. cue — a signal
  23. firm — a company
  24. stand — to bear

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