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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: stand · fall · lie · sharp · swing · scale · land · pitch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pitch — completely
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — to bear
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. land — ground
  14. fall — to drop
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. scale — in music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. land — to come down
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. land — a country
  22. lie — to recline
  23. swing — music
  24. sharp — clever

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