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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. last — finally
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lie — to recline
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. last — final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. season — in sport
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — to go on
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a tree

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