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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · season · hide · rock · field · cue · degree · stand

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cue — a signal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. degree — from a university
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — music
  11. season — in sport
  12. rock — a stone
  13. degree — an amount
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. field — a subject
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — of the year
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. degree — temperature
  24. cue — a hint

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