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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 116 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: suit · pit · season · fine · chair · plane · leaves · pass

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chair — a leader
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fine — all right
  6. suit — to fit
  7. season — in sport
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pit — a hole
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. suit — in cards
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. leaves — to go away

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