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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. net — after costs
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. net — for catching
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. net — in sport
  13. chair — a leader
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pop — to visit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a trace
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — to be able to

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