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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mate — a partner
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. march — the month
  9. cap — a hat
  10. march — music
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mate — a friend
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — of ice
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. can — a tin
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mate — to breed
  22. march — the month
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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