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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — to bear
  7. band — a music group
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. suit — clothes
  10. drill — army training
  11. mine — for digging
  12. drill — a practice
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. foot — a measure

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