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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 116 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: suit · pitcher · rash · leaves · season · cap · tear · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rash — a series
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — to fit
  6. tear — to rip
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. spell — letters
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. spell — magic
  14. cap — a lid
  15. tear — from crying
  16. season — of the year
  17. rash — hasty
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — clothes

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