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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: bay · suit · tear · band · rash · present · fan · spring

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. present — the time now
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — the season
  8. tear — from crying
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a music group
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. present — a gift
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tear — to rip
  18. present — there
  19. band — a ring
  20. spring — of water
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. suit — to fit

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