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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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. bound — certain
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rash — a series
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. land — a country
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. land — ground
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rash — hasty
  23. chair — a leader
  24. land — to come down

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