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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tube — the underground
  4. last — finally
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. land — a country
  12. last — to go on
  13. bound — certain
  14. land — ground
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. kick — in football
  17. bound — obliged
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tube — a container
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. land — to come down
  24. last — final

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