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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. fall — the season
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stock — goods
  5. land — to come down
  6. rule — a law
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. land — a country
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. land — ground
  15. stock — shares
  16. rule — government
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rest — a break
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. coach — a trainer

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