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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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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: leaves · season · row · temple · cell · deal · stick · toast

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. toast — bread
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. cell — a phone
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. season — of the year
  20. cell — in biology
  21. deal — to handle
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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