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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: craft · fan · toast · lash · season · content · fine · cabinet

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fine — all right
  4. season — of the year
  5. content — happy
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. craft — boats
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fine — high quality
  24. content — the amount

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