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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pop — soda
  10. land — ground
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. land — a country
  14. rest — a break
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pop — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. land — to come down

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