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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: stand · fine · firm · object · fan · dip · cell · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. cell — a phone
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. firm — steady
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — a company
  7. object — a thing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. firm — decided
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cell — in biology
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. object — an aim
  23. dip — to sink
  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