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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · ground · nail · season · rest · bulb

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ground — a position
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — crushed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — clothes

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