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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.

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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ground — the earth
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ground — crushed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — to bear
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ground — a position

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