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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pit — a hole
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — in a race
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mine — for digging

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