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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. degree — from a university
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. file — a tool
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. stand — to bear
  13. tube — the underground
  14. degree — temperature
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. file — a document
  17. saw — the tool
  18. degree — an amount
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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