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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bank — for money
  13. mug — a face
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. chest — a box
  22. drill — army training
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — for a hammer

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