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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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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — there
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. craft — boats
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. present — a gift
  19. march — the month
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stand — to bear
  22. present — the time now
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. march — music

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