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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. race — a contest
  6. drill — a practice
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — in control
  9. race — the arms race
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. drill — army training
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. race — humankind
  24. charge — a price

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