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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — to recline
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. dip — to sink
  6. land — ground
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. land — to come down
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — in sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wake — a trail
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — a country
  24. dip — to dunk

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