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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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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: deal · stick · band · season · fork · rock · straw · racket

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. band — a ring
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a music group
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rock — music
  24. season — of the year

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