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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 124 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. season — of the year
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. suit — clothes
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. suit — in cards
  13. date — the fruit
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chair — a leader

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