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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. last — final
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. last — to go on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. season — of the year
  12. ground — a position
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. season — in sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — all right
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. race — a contest

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