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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lean — thin
  5. roll — a list
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. toast — bread
  10. land — ground
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rock — a stone
  14. roll — a cake
  15. land — to come down
  16. season — in sport
  17. rock — music
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — to bend
  24. land — a country

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