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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. tube — a container
  5. mine — for digging
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mate — a friend
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mate — a partner
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mate — to breed
  22. drill — army training
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. tube — in a tire

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