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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: season · pitch · lean · rash · tube · stand · suit · toast

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. season — in sport
  5. tube — a container
  6. rash — hasty
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — thin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — in cards
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. toast — bread
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitch — a sports field

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