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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 · fine · straw · bore · pitch · stand · mark · craft

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — high quality
  4. land — ground
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. land — a country
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. land — to come down
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bore — to tire
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mark — a grade
  20. craft — boats
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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