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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. season — of the year
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mine — for digging
  5. season — in sport
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. vault — a safe
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mark — a grade
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. suit — clothes

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