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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: hide · season · trunk · saw · roll · swing · rash · fine

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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. saw — the tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rash — hasty
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fine — all right
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. season — in sport
  20. swing — to play on
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. saw — the tool

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