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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. kick — in football
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — a series
  6. net — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. toast — bread
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. net — for catching
  18. kick — a thrill

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