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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: wound · date · pass · hide · season · stand · suit · mine

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. season — in sport
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. season — of the year
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wound — an injury

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