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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. kick — in football
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. toast — bread
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pit — in a race
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chest — of your body
  12. band — a music group
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pit — a hole
  15. band — a ring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stand — to bear
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chest — of your body

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