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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: race · wave · hide · pop · stand · content · rule · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. race — a contest
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. content — happy
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. firm — steady
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — government
  15. race — humankind
  16. firm — a company
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pop — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rule — a law
  23. race — the arms race
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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