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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: deal · swing · sharp · season · bear · cap · rash · safe

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rash — hasty
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. sharp — clever
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. season — in sport
  21. cap — a lid
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cap — of ice
  24. deal — to handle

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