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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. clip — for paper
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pop — to visit
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pop — soda
  13. clip — a video
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pop — music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — for a hammer

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