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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — help
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wax — to grow
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. track — a song
  20. bulb — for light
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a path

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