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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: wound · chest · stand · deal · key · ground · firm · fine

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chest — a box
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ground — the earth
  12. firm — a company
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ground — crushed
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ground — a position
  21. key — the most important part
  22. firm — steady
  23. chest — of your body
  24. key — for a lock

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