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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. club — for dancing
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. club — for golf
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. club — a group
  22. date — the fruit
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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