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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. firm — decided
  3. pop — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. can — a tin
  6. firm — a company
  7. pop — to visit
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pit — in a race
  11. field — for sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. field — farmland
  19. season — in sport
  20. mine — for digging
  21. field — a subject
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. can — to be able to
  24. season — of the year

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