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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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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: spell · deal · date · press · sharp · fall · season · suit

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. press — to push
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — clever
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — clothes
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fall — the season
  14. spell — magic
  15. press — a publisher
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — letters
  20. press — newspapers
  21. season — of the year
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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