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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. season — in sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pound — a weight
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. swing — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stem — to come from
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  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