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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: pass · racket · season · deal · field · trunk · fan · club

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — for sport
  7. club — a group
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — for dancing
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — to handle
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. club — for golf
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. season — in sport
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. field — a subject
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — a big deal

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