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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. deal — to handle
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cold — not warm
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cold — an illness
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. scale — in music
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. safe — out of danger
  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