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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 116 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: club · calf · rock · saw · rash · mine · season · mouse

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — a series
  17. mine — for digging
  18. season — of the year
  19. rock — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mine — an explosive

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