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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. board — a committee
  4. mate — to breed
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. season — of the year
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fall — the season
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — to bear
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mate — a friend
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. season — in sport
  24. fall — to drop

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