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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. club — a group
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. land — ground
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. land — to come down
  10. club — for golf
  11. stand — to bear
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. land — a country
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. club — for dancing
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fan — a supporter

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