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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kick — in football
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — a tin
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. row — a line
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — to handle
  22. can — a tin
  23. stand — to bear
  24. saw — the 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