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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. season — of the year
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. toast — bread
  7. rock — music
  8. land — a country
  9. suit — to fit
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. land — ground
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — a stone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. season — in sport
  19. land — to come down
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rash — hasty
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rash — on the skin

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