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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: plane · stand · fork · racket · bulb · fall · bat · staff

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fork — in a road
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fall — the season
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. staff — employees
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. plane — a tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — to drop
  24. staff — a stick

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