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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bore — to drill
  8. land — ground
  9. club — for golf
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bat — the animal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — to come down
  19. club — a group
  20. land — a country
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. can — a tin
  24. wax — to grow

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