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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: roll · firm · rash · season · cap · scale · foot · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. roll — a list
  6. scale — size or range
  7. firm — steady
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. foot — a measure
  16. scale — in music
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rash — a series
  19. cap — a hat
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. season — of the year
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. roll — a cake

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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