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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. kid — child
  3. staff — employees
  4. fork — in a road
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — employees
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — to bear

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