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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. land — to come down
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. band — a music group
  17. lean — to bend
  18. club — a group
  19. land — ground
  20. club — for golf
  21. band — a ring
  22. rock — a stone
  23. land — a country
  24. rock — music

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