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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · chair · drill · mouse · leaves · scale · stand · bear

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. squash — the sport
  13. drill — army training
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. scale — in music
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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