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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: saw · stem · stand · fall · lie · pass · ball · pitch

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stem — to come from
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fall — the season
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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