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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 116 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. cap — of ice
  3. season — in sport
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wound — an injury
  6. prune — to trim
  7. current — of water
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — in cards
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — for betting
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — to eat
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. current — happening now
  20. cap — a hat
  21. wound — an injury
  22. current — electric
  23. prune — to trim
  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