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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ground — the earth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ground — a position
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bear — the animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ground — crushed
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — an injury

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