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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: bulb · fine · mine · club · leaves · stand · hand · mug

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fine — all right
  9. club — for golf
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — a face
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mug — to rob
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — to bear
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. club — a group
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. club — for dancing

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