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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
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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: pit · wound · stand · deal · rash · charge · season · suit

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. season — of the year
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rash — a series
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. charge — electricity
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — a price
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. season — in sport
  23. rash — hasty
  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