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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. court — of law
  8. court — of a king
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. court — for sport
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — music
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — a break
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. swing — to play on
  23. fall — to drop
  24. band — a ring

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