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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mug — to rob
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stock — goods
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — shares
  20. plane — a tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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