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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 120 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: calf · row · fall · stand · net · court · object · present

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. court — of law
  3. net — after costs
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — a gift
  6. row — a line
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. present — there
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. net — for catching
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. court — for sport
  15. present — the time now
  16. court — of a king
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. net — in sport
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fall — to drop
  24. row — a quarrel

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