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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bank — of a river
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. board — a committee
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bank — for money
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — in a road

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