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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — shares
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stock — goods
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chest — of your body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a hat
  17. season — in sport
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. season — of the year
  20. cap — of ice
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cap — a lid
  23. chest — a box
  24. patient — a sick person

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