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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. saw — the tool
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. net — for catching
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mine — for digging
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. net — after costs
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. net — in sport
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bore — to tire
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mouse — the animal

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