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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: suit · wave · cabinet · vault · ball · bear · tear · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. suit — clothes
  8. season — in sport
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tear — to rip
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ball — a great time
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ball — a dance
  21. tear — from crying
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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