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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. race — humankind
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. race — the arms race
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. race — a contest
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bulb — for light

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