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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · rush · mine · drill · bowl · coach · pit · mouse

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. drill — a practice
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stand — to bear
  23. drill — army training
  24. rush — hurry

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