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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: pitch · spring · safe · board · rest · hand · stand · fall

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hand — help
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. spring — of water
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fall — the season
  16. spring — a coil
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fall — to drop
  24. spring — the season

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