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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. land — ground
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. land — to come down
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — of the year
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. season — in sport
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stand — on your feet

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