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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. capital — money
  5. stand — to bear
  6. capital — a city
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stand — for spectators

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