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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — of the year
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — in sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. object — to protest
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. object — a thing
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. object — an aim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stand — for spectators

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