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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: spell · ground · craft · deal · safe · firm · stand · drill

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ground — a position
  3. firm — steady
  4. spell — a short time
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — the earth
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ground — crushed
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. spell — letters
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stand — to bear
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — decided
  20. drill — army training
  21. craft — a skill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. drill — a practice
  24. spell — magic

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