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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — letters
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. spell — magic
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. march — the month
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pitch — completely
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rock — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. spell — a short time

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