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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — a weight
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. hand — help
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. hand — part of the body

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