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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. season — of the year
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. field — for sport
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cue — for pool
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. field — a subject
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. sharp — clever
  18. saw — the tool
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. field — farmland
  24. cue — a hint

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