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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. board — a committee
  8. land — to come down
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rash — a series
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mug — a face
  17. rash — hasty
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — to get on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mouse — for a computer

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