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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
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: mate · fall · spell · chest · plane · stand · firm · fine

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. firm — a company
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — steady
  7. chest — of your body
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chest — a box
  11. fine — all right
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. firm — decided
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fine — high quality
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fine — a penalty

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