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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. last — final
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spring — the season
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rock — music
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. spring — of water
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — to bear
  23. spring — a coil
  24. can — a tin

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