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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. season — of the year
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. branch — a division
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bat — the animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — in sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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