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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bore — to drill
  7. scale — in music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — music
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. capital — a city
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. capital — money
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. foot — a measure
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bore — to tire
  23. date — the fruit
  24. stand — to bear

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