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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bat — the animal
  18. hand — in cards
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — clothes

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