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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. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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. game — a match
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — a break
  8. game — wild animals
  9. track — a song
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. object — an aim
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — to protest
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. object — a thing
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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