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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ground — a position
  4. march — music
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. march — the month
  8. field — farmland
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. object — a thing
  11. rash — hasty
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stand — to bear
  14. field — a subject
  15. press — a publisher
  16. march — the month
  17. press — to push
  18. ground — the earth
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ground — crushed
  21. object — to protest
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. object — an aim

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