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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: date · fork · suit · rock · stand · content · squash · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — in a road
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rock — music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. suit — in cards
  15. squash — to crush
  16. content — happy
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. squash — the sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. date — the fruit
  23. content — the amount
  24. fork — to eat with

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