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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: track · temple · pass · ball · fall · pit · mine · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pit — a hole
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. track — a song
  14. track — a path
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fall — the season
  24. mine — an explosive

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