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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. season — in sport
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. firm — a company
  9. band — a ring
  10. root — of a word
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. firm — steady
  16. season — of the year
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. root — of a plant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. band — a music group
  24. root — the cause

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