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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: fall · cue · suit · craft · safe · bat · row · stand

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — the season
  5. row — a line
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. row — to paddle
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — to fit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — for pool
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — to bear

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