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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: mine · lash · game · season · foot · saw · land · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. land — ground
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. land — a country
  9. foot — a measure
  10. game — a match
  11. mine — for digging
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stand — to bear
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. land — to come down
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mine — an explosive

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