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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. drill — army training
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — in geometry

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