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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ground — crushed
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ground — the earth
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — a price
  11. stand — to bear
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. band — a music group
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ground — a position
  19. mark — a trace
  20. band — a ring
  21. foot — a measure
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a grade
  24. band — a rubber band

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