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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rock — music
  10. craft — boats
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. can — to be able to
  13. game — wild animals
  14. clip — a video
  15. pit — in a race
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pit — a hole
  19. clip — for paper
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rock — a stone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — to move gently

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