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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pound — a weight
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. rule — government
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mark — a grade
  16. season — of the year
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rule — a law
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mark — a trace
  21. season — in sport
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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