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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 120 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: hand · fork · sharp · stand · suit · firm · staff · rest

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. hand — help
  3. firm — a company
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — to bear
  9. staff — employees
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. firm — decided
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rest — a break
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — what's left

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