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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fall — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. rash — a series
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. pass — a permit
  12. toast — bread
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fall — to drop
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. spring — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. firm — decided
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spring — a coil

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