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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.

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: season · last · pitch · suit · ball · mouse · fall · lash

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pitch — completely
  4. last — final
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — in sport
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ball — a great time
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. last — finally
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. last — to go on
  24. ball — a round shape

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