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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
468
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: stand · fall · drill · suit · mug · present · last · squash

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. suit — clothes
  3. last — finally
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — there
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mug — a face
  11. fall — to drop
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fall — the season
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mug — to rob
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. last — to go on
  18. present — the time now
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — a gift
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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