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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — a group
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. club — for golf
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spell — letters
  20. cap — a lid
  21. field — farmland
  22. spell — magic
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cap — a hat

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