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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · object · bank · chest · bear · season · suit · chair

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bank — for money
  6. season — of the year
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chair — a leader
  11. object — a thing
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. drill — the tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. drill — army training
  17. chest — a box
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chest — of your body
  20. object — an aim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. object — to protest

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