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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lean — to bend
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lean — thin
  6. mate — a partner
  7. firm — a company
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. firm — steady
  17. mate — to breed
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. firm — decided
  21. cap — of ice
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mate — a friend

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