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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: club · rash · fall · jam · stand · fine · date · staff

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. staff — employees
  9. club — for golf
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stand — to bear
  13. staff — a stick
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. staff — employees
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — all right
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — a group
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — to drop
  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