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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. firm — decided
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — a company
  9. stand — to bear
  10. firm — steady
  11. fall — the season
  12. club — a group
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. club — for golf
  18. fall — to drop

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