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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · staff · rash · chair · saw · deal · bay · season

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. saw — the tool
  3. staff — a stick
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. saw — the tool
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. staff — employees
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rash — a series
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. staff — employees
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. deal — an agreement

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