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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — of the year
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. field — a subject
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. field — for sport
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fine — all right
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stand — to bear

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