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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. land — a country
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. land — to come down
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — boats
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. season — in sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — decided
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. firm — steady
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. land — ground

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