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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pitch — completely
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. swing — in golf
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fork — in a road
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. swing — to play on
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. swing — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stand — to bear
  23. firm — a company
  24. fork — a garden tool

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