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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: bat · net · stand · season · fine · ball · press · bay

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. season — in sport
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bat — the animal
  8. net — in sport
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — all right
  15. season — of the year
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fine — high quality
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stand — to bear
  23. net — after costs
  24. press — to push

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