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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. rash — a series
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. leaves — of a tree

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