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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. season — of the year
  3. mate — a friend
  4. season — in sport
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mate — a partner
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. perch — the fish
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ground — a position
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. mate — to breed
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ground — crushed

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