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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. land — to come down
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. net — in sport
  7. game — wild animals
  8. land — a country
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. game — a match
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. land — ground
  19. rest — a break
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. stand — on your feet

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