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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · kick · fall · safe · march · present

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — the time now
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. present — there
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — the month
  11. fall — to drop
  12. present — a gift
  13. kick — in football
  14. fall — the season
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger

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