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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stick · rash · stand · pass · saw · jam · fine · row

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fine — high quality
  8. saw — the tool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. row — a line
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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