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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rock — music
  7. tube — a container
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — to protest
  10. court — for sport
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — the underground
  16. object — a thing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — of law
  20. march — the month
  21. hand — help
  22. march — music
  23. object — an aim
  24. stand — to bear

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