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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. present — the time now
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bank — of a river
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. present — there
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. present — a gift
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — completely
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rule — a law
  23. season — in sport
  24. rule — government

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