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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: suit · race · fall · stand · cabinet · fine · object · drill

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fall — to drop
  4. object — a thing
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — an aim
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — to fit
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. object — to protest
  16. fall — the season
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. drill — the tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — army training
  21. race — humankind
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fall — to drop
  24. drill — a practice

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