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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: board · rest · track · fall · lean · pit · stick · firm

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. track — a path
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. board — a committee
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rest — a break
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lean — thin
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — steady
  11. pit — in a race
  12. firm — a company
  13. track — a song
  14. board — to get on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pit — a hole
  17. firm — decided
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — the season
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a flat piece

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