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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. march — the month
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. staff — employees
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. field — farmland
  8. march — music
  9. season — in sport
  10. march — the month
  11. staff — employees
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. field — a subject
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. field — for sport
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lash — an eyelash

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