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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.

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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: rush · stick · can · racket · tear · band · season · toast

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — to be able to
  10. tear — from crying
  11. can — a tin
  12. band — a music group
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. tear — to rip
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. season — of the year

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