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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. suit — clothes
  8. season — of the year
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rash — a series
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. key — in music
  22. march — music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. march — the month

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