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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. present — there
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mug — a face
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pit — in a race
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. plane — a tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mug — to rob

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