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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mine — for digging
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — in sport
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. can — to be able to
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. suit — in cards
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. suit — clothes
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rash — hasty

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