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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: rush · mark · wave · firm · hand · land · stand · chair

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. land — a country
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. land — ground
  11. hand — help
  12. land — to come down
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. mark — a grade
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — a company
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. hand — in cards
  22. chair — a leader
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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