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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 116 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ground — a position
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. land — a country
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ground — crushed
  16. land — ground
  17. board — to get on
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — a committee
  20. stand — to bear
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. ball — a great time

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