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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: swing · fine · present · race · stand · firm · mug · ground

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. firm — decided
  3. mug — a cup
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. swing — in golf
  7. race — a contest
  8. present — the time now
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stand — to bear
  11. firm — a company
  12. swing — to play on
  13. race — humankind
  14. mug — a face
  15. swing — music
  16. firm — steady
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — the earth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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