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

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. spell — letters
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — a series
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. swing — to play on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. season — in sport
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spell — magic
  20. chair — a leader
  21. swing — music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — side of the head
  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