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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.

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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — the season
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. march — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — of the year
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. march — the month
  14. cold — an illness
  15. season — in sport
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. march — the month
  18. 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