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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. object — a thing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. object — to protest
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. kid — to tease
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. kid — child
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. object — an aim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — music
  24. land — to come down

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