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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bear — the animal
  3. season — in sport
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. court — of law
  9. rule — a law
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. rush — hurry
  12. court — for sport
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. court — of a king
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rule — government
  20. spell — letters
  21. wound — an injury
  22. spell — magic
  23. wound — an injury
  24. season — of the year

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