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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. saw — the tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. ball — a dance
  20. content — the amount
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. season — in sport
  23. content — happy
  24. pass — a permit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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