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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 120 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: can · bay · bear · chair · rush · rash · foot · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chair — a leader
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rash — a series

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