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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: firm · season · stand · key · can · rest · march · land

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. firm — a company
  5. land — ground
  6. can — to be able to
  7. key — in music
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. march — the month
  10. key — the most important part
  11. season — of the year
  12. key — for a lock
  13. firm — steady
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — to come down
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. firm — decided
  20. land — a country
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rest — what's left
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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