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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 120 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: march · foot · fork · board · net · stand · season · cabinet

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — to bear
  5. board — to get on
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. board — a committee
  11. march — the month
  12. season — of the year
  13. fork — in a road
  14. season — in sport
  15. net — in sport
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. march — the month
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. net — after costs
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. net — for catching
  23. march — music
  24. fork — a garden tool

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