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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. chip — to eat
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. march — the month
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — clothes
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — in a computer

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