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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mug — a cup
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a document
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mug — a face
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mug — to rob
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bank — of a river
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stand — to bear
  21. squash — the sport
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. file — a tool

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