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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.

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: fine · perch · season · suit · bowl · track · rash · content

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a path
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rash — a series
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. season — of the year
  21. rash — hasty
  22. season — in sport
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — clothes

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