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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: march · suit · bowl · lean · stand · spell · land · squash

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. squash — to crush
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. land — to come down
  11. suit — in cards
  12. march — music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — clothes
  19. land — ground
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spell — letters
  24. lean — to bend

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