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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. tear — from crying
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. staff — employees
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. tear — from crying
  10. scale — size or range
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. tear — to rip
  14. season — of the year
  15. date — the fruit
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. suit — to fit
  19. scale — in music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — for spectators

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