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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. season — of the year
  4. suit — in cards
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. land — to come down
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. saw — the tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. land — ground
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. land — a country

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