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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. stock — goods
  4. cap — of ice
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stand — to bear
  8. season — in sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. season — of the year
  13. bat — the animal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cap — a lid
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stock — shares
  23. cap — a hat
  24. coach — a trainer

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