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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — in golf
  5. field — farmland
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. swing — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. capital — money
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. field — for sport
  15. field — a subject
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. swing — to play on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ground — a position
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. capital — a city

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