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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 120 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: rest · stand · row · lie · board · swing · fall · firm

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — decided
  6. fall — to drop
  7. row — a line
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — the season
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fall — to drop
  20. board — to get on
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — to bear
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. board — a committee

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