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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rest — what's left
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rest — a break
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. season — in sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — in a road
  24. can — a tin

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