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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. season — in sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ball — a dance
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. present — the time now
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. present — a gift
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. present — there

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