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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — army training
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wound — an injury
  12. track — a path
  13. stand — to bear
  14. drill — the tool
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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