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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. scale — size or range
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — clothes
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. sharp — clever
  17. suit — to fit
  18. object — to protest
  19. race — humankind
  20. scale — in music
  21. race — a contest
  22. charge — in control
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. race — the arms race

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