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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.

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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 are we going to ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. season — in sport
  3. suit — clothes
  4. season — of the year
  5. land — a country
  6. pitch — completely
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. land — ground
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. band — a ring
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. band — a music group
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — to fit

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