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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. land — to come down
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. march — music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — the month
  10. land — a country
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. key — in music
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. face — to point toward
  19. march — the month
  20. land — ground
  21. key — for a lock
  22. face — to confront
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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