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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: stem · club · firm · suit · content · stand · bore · wound

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. content — the amount
  3. stand — to bear
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — happy
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stem — to come from
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — a company
  19. club — for golf
  20. firm — decided
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. club — a group
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — clothes

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