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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.

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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 · racket · current · cabinet · lash · deal · mate · club

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. season — of the year
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — to breed
  10. deal — to handle
  11. club — for golf
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — in sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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