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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: march · mouse · press · stand · fine · season · wave · spring

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. march — the month
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. press — to push
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. fine — high quality
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. spring — of water
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. spring — a coil

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