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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: firm · bound · pitcher · stand · can · roll · nail · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. firm — decided
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spell — magic
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bound — certain
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bound — tied together
  15. roll — a list
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — letters
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stand — to bear

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