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

Word bank: bay · hide · jam · pound · fine · stand · land · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — all right
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. land — to come down
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — a weight

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