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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. scale — in music
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bark — to shout
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. press — to push
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. press — newspapers

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