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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. fall — the season
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rash — a series
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rest — a break
  15. wind — moving air
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rash — hasty
  24. sharp — exactly

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