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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — happy
  7. court — of law
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. ground — a position
  13. season — of the year
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. court — of a king
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. court — for sport
  21. content — the amount
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rest — what's left

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