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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. season — of the year
  7. rest — what's left
  8. track — a path
  9. date — the fruit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bass — the fish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rest — a break
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — a gift
  18. bass — low music
  19. present — there
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. track — a song
  22. present — the time now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — to add flavour

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