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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stand — to bear
  3. march — the month
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. object — a thing
  6. court — for sport
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. march — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — the underground
  13. object — an aim
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — of law
  16. march — the month
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. object — to protest
  23. rush — hurry
  24. tube — a container

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