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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — to bear
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — bread
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a music group
  21. saw — the tool
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. band — a ring

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