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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 124 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. shower — rain
  4. rock — music
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fine — high quality
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mug — a face
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fine — all right
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mug — to rob
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mug — a cup
  24. coach — a trainer

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