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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.

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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: present · suit · foot · stand · sharp · season · chest · ball

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. suit — in cards
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. present — there
  5. suit — to fit
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stand — to bear
  10. season — of the year
  11. chest — of your body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ball — a great time
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — clever
  18. chest — a box
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. present — the time now
  23. season — in sport
  24. chest — of your body

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