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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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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: fan · ruler · fall · ground · racket · content · stand · rush

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. content — happy
  4. fall — the season
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ground — a position
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. content — the amount
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fan — a supporter

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