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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · stand · fall · land · plane · rush · bowl · firm

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. land — ground
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. land — to come down
  6. firm — steady
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. land — a country
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pit — in a race
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — hurry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. firm — decided
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fall — the season
  23. rush — a thrill
  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