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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 116 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. track — to keep track
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. object — an aim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. object — to protest
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. can — to be able to
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to click
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — to bear
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. object — a thing

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