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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 124 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. swing — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cold — not warm
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cold — an illness

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