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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. season — of the year
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cap — of ice
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — a permit
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. season — in sport
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rest — a break
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. can — a tin
  24. wound — an injury

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