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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. scale — size or range
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wound — an injury
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. march — the month
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — for money
  11. march — music
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. kick — in football
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. march — the month
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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