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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. bass — low music
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. season — in sport
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bass — the fish
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stand — to bear
  24. sharp — exactly

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