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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: last · fall · tear · sharp · racket · bowl · stand · present

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. last — finally
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. present — there
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stand — to bear
  15. last — final
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. last — to go on
  18. tear — from crying
  19. present — a gift
  20. tear — to rip
  21. tear — from crying
  22. present — the time now
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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