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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. saw — the tool
  6. last — finally
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. last — to go on
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. perch — the fish
  13. last — final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. ground — the earth
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ground — a position
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stand — to bear

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