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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — in sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. toast — bread
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — not warm
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rest — a break
  18. season — of the year
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rest — what's left

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