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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. object — an aim
  10. fine — high quality
  11. tube — a container
  12. pit — in a race
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. object — a thing
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. tube — the underground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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