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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
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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 · jam · ruler · safe · rest · arm · last · rush

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. last — finally
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rush — hurry
  8. season — in sport
  9. last — to go on
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. last — final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rest — a break
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. rest — what's left
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rest — what's left

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