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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 120 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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — finally
  4. season — in sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — final
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bank — of a river
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — of a plant

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