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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. capital — money
  3. season — of the year
  4. club — for dancing
  5. net — for catching
  6. prune — to trim
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. club — for golf
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. capital — a city
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. plane — a tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. net — in sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — clothes
  19. season — in sport
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — a group
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. prune — the fruit
  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