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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 116 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: hide · nail · mine · stick · tube · fall · rock · stand

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fall — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — a container
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fall — to drop
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — for digging
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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