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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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468
Word bank
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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cue — for pool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. root — the cause
  15. game — wild animals
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. root — of a plant
  19. game — a match
  20. root — of a word
  21. rash — hasty
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rash — a series
  24. cue — a signal

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