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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. file — a document
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rash — a series
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. file — a tool
  14. kick — in football
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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