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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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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: race · firm · tear · shower · bound · stand · content · ruler

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. shower — to wash
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tear — to rip
  7. content — happy
  8. firm — steady
  9. tear — from crying
  10. shower — rain
  11. race — humankind
  12. firm — decided
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — the amount
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. race — the arms race
  18. tear — from crying
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bound — obliged
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. firm — a company
  24. race — a contest

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