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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: net · stick · rush · firm · chest · stand · trunk · mug

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mug — a cup
  3. firm — decided
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. net — after costs
  8. rush — hurry
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — steady
  11. chest — of your body
  12. net — for catching
  13. firm — a company
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. stand — to bear
  21. chest — a box
  22. net — in sport
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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