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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. season — in sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. season — of the year
  7. cap — a hat
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. foot — a measure
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. suit — in cards
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. board — to get on
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cap — a lid

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