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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: toast · fall · jam · stand · suit · shower · track · cabinet

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — to fit
  13. shower — rain
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — clothes
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — the season
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fall — to drop

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