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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 120 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 ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mate — a partner
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mate — to breed
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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