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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.

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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: suit · sharp · rush · season · rest · branch · bowl · hide

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rest — a break
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rush — hurry
  13. branch — a division
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — of the year
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rest — what's left
  21. sharp — clever
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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