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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. staff — a stick
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rash — a series
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. swing — to play on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fine — all right
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. swing — music

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