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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. object — an aim
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — government
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rule — a law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. object — to protest
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — a thing
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stand — for spectators

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