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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: rash · season · object · lie · racket · cabinet · arm · snap

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. season — of the year
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rash — hasty
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. season — in sport

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