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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 120 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: bat · firm · march · safe · can · rest · stand · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — finally
  3. firm — decided
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — to bear
  7. march — the month
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. firm — a company
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — the month
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — steady
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bat — the animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — to go on
  24. rest — a break

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