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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 · present · racket · vault · suit · foot · rush · bay

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. rush — to hurry
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — the time now
  5. season — of the year
  6. foot — a measure
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — in cards
  16. vault — a safe
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — there
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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