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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. march — the month
  3. land — ground
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. march — the month
  6. land — a country
  7. march — music
  8. object — an aim
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. object — to protest
  12. rule — government
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. land — to come down
  16. stand — to bear
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. object — a thing
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rule — a law
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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