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

Word bank: season · bound · net · cabinet · ground · lean · snap · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rash — hasty
  7. lean — thin
  8. net — for catching
  9. ground — a position
  10. bound — tied together
  11. snap — to click
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bound — certain
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. lean — to bend
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bound — obliged
  23. season — in sport
  24. lean — to rest against

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