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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: plane · content · firm · bowl · degree · straw · suit · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. content — happy
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. firm — a company
  9. degree — an amount
  10. plane — a tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — steady
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. degree — temperature
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. degree — from a university

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