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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. kick — in football
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — there
  9. suit — clothes
  10. squash — the sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — a gift
  14. game — a match
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. season — in sport
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. season — of the year
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. squash — to crush

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