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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. face — to point toward
  6. season — in sport
  7. present — a gift
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — to bear
  10. present — there
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. face — part of the head
  13. kick — in football
  14. present — the time now
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. face — to confront
  18. season — of the year

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