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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: staff · pitcher · stand · race · bear · row · lie · rash

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. row — a line
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — to recline
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. race — humankind
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. race — a contest
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bear — the animal

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