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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stand — to bear
  4. last — final
  5. sharp — clever
  6. club — a group
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chest — of your body
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. last — finally
  15. press — to push
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chest — a box
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. club — for golf
  20. last — to go on
  21. press — a publisher
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. chest — of your body

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