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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — of ice
  4. season — of the year
  5. cap — a lid
  6. land — to come down
  7. band — a ring
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. perch — the fish
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a music group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — a hat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — in sport
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. land — a country
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. land — ground
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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