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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. toast — bread
  3. stand — to bear
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a trace
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bound — certain
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. sharp — clever
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — tied together
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. squash — to crush

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