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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — size or range
  8. face — to point toward
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. net — after costs
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. scale — in music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. key — in music
  21. face — to confront
  22. key — for a lock
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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