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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: firm · fork · arm · rash · mug · press · bowl · stand

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — decided
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. firm — a company
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — a cup
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. stand — to bear
  14. press — to push
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. press — a publisher
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rash — a series

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