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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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — to drop
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fall — the season
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stand — to bear
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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