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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — size or range
  7. charge — in control
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hand — in cards
  10. scale — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. charge — electricity
  20. hand — help
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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