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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. spell — letters
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. deal — to handle
  12. staff — employees
  13. spell — magic
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mine — for digging
  23. staff — employees
  24. wind — to turn a key

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