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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — a trail
  13. charge — in control
  14. object — to protest
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. object — an aim
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. toast — bread
  21. stand — to bear
  22. object — a thing
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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