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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. charge — in control
  3. spring — a coil
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. file — a line of people
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. spring — the season
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. file — a tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. pass — a permit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spring — of water
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. file — a document

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