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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rock — music
  5. fall — the season
  6. hand — in cards
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. rock — a stone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hand — help
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. deal — an agreement

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