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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: spring · mug · rule · stand · foot · firm · scale · object

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. spring — the season
  4. rule — a law
  5. firm — steady
  6. spring — a coil
  7. firm — a company
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spring — of water
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — a thing
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — decided
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. object — to protest
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. object — an aim
  24. stand — for spectators

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