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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. field — farmland
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. field — a subject
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cap — of ice
  15. race — humankind
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. race — a contest
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — for sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fan — a supporter

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