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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. key — in music
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. press — to push
  7. fork — in a road
  8. season — of the year
  9. stand — to bear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — a position
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fall — to drop
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. press — newspapers
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fork — to eat with

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