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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: season · toast · net · chair · mouse · bear · mate · deal

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. season — of the year
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. deal — to handle
  13. toast — bread
  14. net — in sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bear — the animal
  23. season — in sport
  24. chair — to sit on

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