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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.

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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. squash — to crush
  7. suit — in cards
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bat — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bank — for money
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bat — for baseball

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