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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: racket · foot · scale · suit · cabinet · race · fan · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — a measure
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. suit — to fit
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. race — a contest
  14. suit — in cards
  15. season — of the year
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. race — humankind
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. season — to add flavour

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