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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. drill — a practice
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. drill — army training
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — ground
  12. present — the time now
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. game — wild animals
  16. present — there
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. land — to come down
  20. stand — to bear
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. present — a gift
  24. land — a country

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