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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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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: cue · rush · season · straw · ball · perch · net · suit

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. rush — hurry
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. ball — a great time
  10. net — in sport
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — for pool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cue — a signal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. season — in sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. straw — a straw man

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