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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lean — to bend
  3. firm — decided
  4. race — a contest
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — steady
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lean — thin
  19. fall — to drop
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fall — the season
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. firm — a company

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