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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: stand · game · object · land · tube · fork · mouse · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — to protest
  6. land — a country
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. game — a match
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — to come down
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. object — an aim
  17. land — ground
  18. tube — a container
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. game — wild animals

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