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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. season — of the year
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. chip — for betting
  7. kick — in football
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cold — an illness
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. season — in sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cold — not warm
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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