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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · temple · season · leaves · mine · rock · field · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rock — a stone
  8. season — in sport
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — all right
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. suit — to fit
  18. field — for sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. field — farmland
  21. rock — music
  22. field — a subject
  23. suit — clothes
  24. temple — a place of worship

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