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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: last · suit · bulb · straw · foot · firm · season · ball

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. firm — decided
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a great time
  8. last — to go on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. last — finally
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. season — of the year
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. season — in sport
  16. firm — a company
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. last — final
  24. ball — a round shape

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