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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: stand · ball · mate · bank · can · season · suit · rest

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — a break
  7. can — to be able to
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a great time
  10. season — in sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. season — of the year
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. can — a tin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. season — to add flavour

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