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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: pitcher · rule · bowl · stand · lash · capital · firm · fall

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fall — the season
  6. rule — a law
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rule — government
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fall — to drop
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. capital — a city
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — steady
  24. capital — money

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