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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. squash — the sport
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. present — the time now
  6. fall — the season
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. season — of the year
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. season — in sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chair — a leader
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mouse — the animal

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