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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. scale — in music
  6. shower — to wash
  7. net — for catching
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — clothes
  11. net — in sport
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. scale — size or range
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. shower — rain
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — in cards

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