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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
468
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 · rush · spell · arm · pit · straw · can · sharp

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rush — hurry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — letters
  17. season — in sport
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pit — a hole
  20. season — of the year
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. rush — to hurry

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