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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — a match
  4. pass — a permit
  5. scale — in music
  6. staff — employees
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. last — to go on
  13. toast — bread
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. staff — employees
  20. last — final
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. game — wild animals
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. last — finally

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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