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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — a permit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fall — the season
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. pop — music
  14. row — a line
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pop — soda
  17. fall — to drop
  18. row — to paddle
  19. date — the fruit
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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