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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. race — a contest
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. staff — a stick
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. spring — of water
  17. staff — employees
  18. cue — a signal
  19. race — humankind
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. spring — the season
  23. race — the arms race
  24. staff — employees

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