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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spring — a coil
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — a stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. kid — to tease
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — the season
  15. rock — music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. craft — boats
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — a match
  21. craft — a skill
  22. spring — of water
  23. kid — child
  24. coach — a trainer

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