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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 120 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: bay · fine · lean · suit · cell · court · can · season

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. court — of a king
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. season — in sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lean — thin
  14. court — for sport
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. season — of the year
  17. cell — in biology
  18. suit — to fit
  19. court — of law
  20. fine — all right
  21. suit — in cards
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lean — to bend

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