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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 116 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 retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. season — of the year
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — in cards
  24. rush — hurry

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