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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. file — a tool
  10. wind — moving air
  11. scale — in music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. toast — bread
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fall — to drop
  21. file — a document
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fall — the season
  24. scale — size or range

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