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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fall — the season
  3. firm — decided
  4. object — a thing
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — steady
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — a song
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. track — a path
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. firm — a company

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