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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: lean · swing · club · hand · season · present · court · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. club — for dancing
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. lean — to bend
  8. present — there
  9. court — of law
  10. season — in sport
  11. swing — to play on
  12. club — a group
  13. hand — in cards
  14. present — a gift
  15. court — for sport
  16. club — for golf
  17. season — of the year
  18. swing — music
  19. court — of a king
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — in golf
  22. present — the time now
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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