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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. suit — clothes
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. date — the fruit
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. season — in sport
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. perch — the fish
  17. land — a country
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. plane — a tool
  20. season — of the year
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — to bear

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