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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — the tool
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ground — crushed
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. march — music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. drill — army training
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. march — the month

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