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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. season — of the year
  16. field — for sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. season — in sport
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. suit — in cards
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fork — in a road
  24. suit — to fit

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