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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. present — the time now
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — a list
  13. present — there
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. roll — a cake
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — a permit
  18. present — a gift
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. scale — in music
  22. toast — bread
  23. bank — for money
  24. scale — for weighing

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