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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. current — of water
  7. stand — to bear
  8. track — a path
  9. saw — the tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — to keep track
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. press — to push
  16. current — happening now
  17. press — a publisher
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. press — newspapers
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — electric
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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