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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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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 · rest · club · fine · fall · swing · toast · chair

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. club — a group
  3. toast — bread
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — in sport
  8. club — for dancing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fall — to drop
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. swing — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fall — the season
  19. rest — a break
  20. season — of the year
  21. club — for golf
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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