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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. craft — boats
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. season — of the year
  5. rest — a break
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ground — crushed
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. season — in sport
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ground — the earth
  16. object — to protest
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rest — what's left
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ground — a position
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. cue — for pool

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