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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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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 · spell · bear · stick · fork · net · bay

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. season — in sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. season — of the year
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. spell — a short time
  19. net — in sport
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. net — after costs
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — a break

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