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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: season · ground · cap · fine · suit · land · lean · wave

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fine — all right
  4. ground — a position
  5. season — of the year
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — to come down
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ground — the earth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lean — thin
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cap — a hat
  22. season — in sport
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. season — to add flavour

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