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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · suit · fork · object · mark · stem · season · pop

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. season — in sport
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stem — to come from
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. toast — bread
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. season — of the year
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pop — music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. object — to protest
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pop — soda
  24. toast — the most admired

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