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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. field — for sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. field — farmland
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. field — a subject
  24. bear — the animal

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