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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spring — a coil
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. prune — to trim
  8. spring — of water
  9. prune — to trim
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fine — all right
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. chair — a leader
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. season — in sport
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. spring — the season
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. season — of the year

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