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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. hand — in cards
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hand — help
  12. lean — thin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. lean — to bend
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. season — in sport
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pop — soda
  23. suit — to fit
  24. sharp — clever

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