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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — in cards
  9. toast — bread
  10. key — the most important part
  11. season — in sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — to fit
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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