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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: wind · suit · row · cap · squash · stand · deal · stick

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wind — moving air
  3. squash — the sport
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. row — a line
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cap — of ice
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wind — moving air
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cap — a lid
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wind — to turn a key

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