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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 116 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: lash · firm · kid · wave · stand · suit · band · object

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. object — an aim
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — steady
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a ring
  8. firm — a company
  9. stand — to bear
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — a thing
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. object — to protest
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — decided
  22. kid — child
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. suit — clothes

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