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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: last · stand · object · jam · band · suit · pitcher · cabinet

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. object — an aim
  3. band — a ring
  4. object — a thing
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. suit — to fit
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — in cards
  11. last — finally
  12. object — to protest
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. band — a music group
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stand — to bear
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. last — final
  24. stand — on your feet

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