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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · safe · content · firm · object · leaves · land · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. craft — boats
  3. object — to protest
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. firm — a company
  6. object — an aim
  7. firm — steady
  8. craft — a skill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. firm — decided
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. land — ground
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. land — a country
  19. content — happy
  20. land — to come down
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stand — to bear

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