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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. season — of the year
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. march — the month
  10. season — in sport
  11. march — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — to come from
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. march — the month
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — low music
  24. mate — a partner

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