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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. fall — the season
  4. deal — to handle
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rest — what's left
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bound — certain
  11. rest — a break
  12. bound — obliged
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stand — to bear
  15. hand — help
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. jam — a tight spot

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