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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: toast · row · fall · bank · fan · stand · rest · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bank — for money
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — a line
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mug — a face
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stand — to bear
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. toast — bread
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — the season
  24. row — to paddle

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