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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 116 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. drill — a practice
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pit — a hole
  11. row — a line
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ground — crushed
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ground — a position
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. ground — the earth

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