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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fall — to drop
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — to bear
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. present — the time now
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. court — of law
  12. fine — high quality
  13. object — to protest
  14. court — for sport
  15. present — there
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fall — the season
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. court — of a king
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — all right
  23. branch — a division
  24. object — a thing

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