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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 116 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: pit · march · stand · row · safe · bulb · leaves · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stand — to bear
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. hand — help
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. row — a line
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. march — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. march — the month
  24. safe — out of danger

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