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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.

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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: season · rush · bear · bore · mouse · lean · firm · rash

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lean — to bend
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. season — in sport
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lean — to rest against

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