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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.

Make a worksheet

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: toast · season · cell · fan · suit · bear · racket · rest

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. season — in sport
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cell — in biology
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cell — a phone
  18. season — of the year
  19. suit — to fit
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rest — a break

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