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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. season — in sport
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — for money
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — for money
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. suit — clothes
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mark — a grade
  21. suit — to fit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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