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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.

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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pass — a permit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. game — a match
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — to fit
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. season — of the year
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — in cards
  15. season — in sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ball — a round shape

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