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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: rash · suit · rush · rest · season · track · hand · wake

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — to fit
  3. season — in sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. season — of the year
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rest — what's left
  19. track — a path
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rest — a break
  23. rush — hurry
  24. season — to add flavour

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