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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. saw — the tool
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. track — to keep track
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. track — a song
  9. deal — to handle
  10. season — in sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — a grade
  23. deal — a big deal
  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