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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
468
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: club · season · tear · ball · rock · toast · lean · stand

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. tear — from crying
  3. toast — bread
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a dance
  7. club — for golf
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rock — a stone
  11. club — a group
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — to bear
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tear — to rip
  19. season — in sport
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rock — music

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