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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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Word bank
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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: land · pop · stand · mug · suit · snap · ground · present

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. present — a gift
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — the time now
  6. land — ground
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pop — music
  10. land — a country
  11. pop — to visit
  12. mug — a cup
  13. snap — to click
  14. land — to come down
  15. suit — in cards
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pop — soda
  18. suit — clothes
  19. present — there
  20. mug — to rob
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — a position

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