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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. game — wild animals
  3. saw — the tool
  4. game — a match
  5. pit — a hole
  6. suit — clothes
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. season — of the year
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. season — in sport
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wake — a trail
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — a trainer

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