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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mark — a grade
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. drill — army training
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. firm — a company
  15. bass — low music
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — decided
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — steady
  22. land — ground
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stand — to bear

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