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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: stand · present · cap · fall · arm · track · stick · tube

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. track — a path
  3. present — there
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. track — to keep track
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fall — to drop
  10. tube — a container
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fall — the season
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stand — to bear
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. present — a gift
  21. track — a song
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cap — a lid
  24. present — the time now

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