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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. season — of the year
  5. firm — decided
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. march — music
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. season — in sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. march — the month
  20. firm — a company
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. firm — steady
  24. march — the month

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