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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stand — to bear
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. band — a ring
  5. season — of the year
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. board — to get on
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. track — to keep track
  11. race — the arms race
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — a song
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a committee
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — in cards
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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