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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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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 ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. season — in sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. season — of the year
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. roll — a list
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — the most important part
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. roll — a cake
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — a series
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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