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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — to bear
  7. scale — size or range
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. season — in sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. spell — letters
  15. scale — in music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. saw — the tool
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — to fit

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