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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: season · suit · jam · toast · rash · chip · sharp · fan

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. rash — a series
  4. sharp — clever
  5. season — of the year
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. toast — bread
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. season — in sport
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. toast — the most admired

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