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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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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: track · firm · lie · rule · bay · snap · craft · stand

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. firm — decided
  3. rule — a law
  4. craft — a skill
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. track — a path
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — boats
  14. snap — to click
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — a song
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stand — to bear
  23. firm — steady
  24. lie — an untruth

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