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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · sharp · leaves · ball · field · suit · cell · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. field — for sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ball — a dance
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — clever
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. field — farmland
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cell — in biology
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — clothes
  22. press — a publisher
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. field — a subject

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