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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. drill — a practice
  5. object — an aim
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mark — a grade
  11. band — a music group
  12. mark — a trace
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. band — a ring
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — to fit
  19. drill — army training
  20. suit — in cards
  21. object — a thing
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. drill — the tool
  24. object — to protest

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