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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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. firm — a company
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — ground
  7. court — of law
  8. firm — decided
  9. net — for catching
  10. firm — steady
  11. net — after costs
  12. court — for sport
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wound — an injury
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. land — to come down
  21. court — of a king
  22. net — in sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — in cards

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