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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. can — to be able to
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — to rob
  8. season — in sport
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. season — of the year
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — a face
  24. season — to add flavour

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