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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for dancing
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for golf
  11. fall — the season
  12. land — to come down
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. club — a group
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — ground
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. tube — a container

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