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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. present — the time now
  9. tube — the underground
  10. season — of the year
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. land — to come down
  13. present — there
  14. land — a country
  15. present — a gift
  16. tube — a container
  17. land — ground
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mark — a trace
  21. season — in sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — clothes
  24. squash — the sport

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