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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.

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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: wound · mouse · present · season · plane · swing · suit · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. season — of the year
  4. object — an aim
  5. suit — in cards
  6. swing — music
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. season — in sport
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wound — an injury
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. plane — an aircraft

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