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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. race — humankind
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mate — a friend
  12. race — a contest
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. race — the arms race
  16. land — ground
  17. stand — to bear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — to come down
  22. mate — to breed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. land — a country

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