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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · mate · pitcher · racket · nail · bay · stick · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mate — a friend
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mate — to breed
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mate — a partner
  24. racket — for tennis

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