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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fall — the season
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. cold — not warm
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cold — an illness
  21. firm — a company
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. bark — to shout

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