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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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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: ball · stand · cap · jam · ground · leaves · swing · mark

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mark — a grade
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ground — a position
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stand — to bear
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. swing — music
  15. ground — the earth
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cap — a hat

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