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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: rock · object · stand · net · board · wind · fall · shower

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. net — after costs
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — in sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. net — for catching
  11. shower — rain
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fall — the season
  15. shower — to wash
  16. stand — to bear
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — to protest
  21. fall — to drop
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. rock — music

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