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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — wild animals
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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