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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. net — for catching
  5. stand — to bear
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. suit — in cards
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cap — a lid
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — in sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. net — after costs
  20. cap — of ice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cap — a hat
  23. season — of the year
  24. stand — on your feet

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