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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 116 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: pitcher · stand · fall · charge · bear · game · land · rock

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. land — a country
  9. charge — in control
  10. land — ground
  11. game — a match
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rock — music
  15. fall — the season
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. charge — a price
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. charge — electricity
  23. land — to come down
  24. game — wild animals

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