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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: capital · lie · toast · arm · firm · ball · stand · squash

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. squash — to crush
  3. ball — a great time
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ball — a dance
  8. firm — steady
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. firm — decided
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lie — to recline
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. stand — to bear
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. firm — a company
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. capital — a city
  23. toast — bread
  24. lie — an untruth

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