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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mug — a cup
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — to fit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mug — a face
  11. scale — in music
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. spring — the season
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. season — of the year
  18. spring — of water
  19. mug — to rob
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. date — the fruit
  24. season — to add flavour

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