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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: saw · hand · lash · current · stand · firm · bore · rock

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. current — happening now
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. firm — steady
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. current — of water
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. hand — help
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lash — an eyelash

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