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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · season · saw · mouse · perch · club · mine · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. club — a group
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — in sport
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pit — in a race
  7. perch — the fish
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. season — of the year
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. club — for golf
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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