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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: rest · perch · suit · season · craft · hand · wound · toast

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hand — help
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. craft — boats
  8. suit — to fit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. hand — in cards
  14. toast — bread
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. season — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rest — what's left

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