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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 · present · current · cue · mine · stand · fall · firm

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. present — a gift
  3. cue — a signal
  4. firm — a company
  5. current — electric
  6. cue — a hint
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mine — for digging
  10. staff — a stick
  11. current — of water
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. staff — employees
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stand — to bear
  21. present — there
  22. cue — for pool
  23. current — happening now
  24. present — the time now

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