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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.

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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: fall · object · leaves · stand · fine · pound · ruler · file

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — high quality
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. object — to protest
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. file — a line of people
  11. object — an aim
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. file — a tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. file — a document
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pound — a weight
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. object — a thing
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fall — the season
  24. stand — for spectators

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