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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rest — a break
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. net — for catching
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. net — after costs
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. net — in sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bass — low music
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stand — on your feet

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