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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. kick — in football
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cue — a signal
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mate — a partner
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — a hint
  16. craft — boats
  17. sharp — clever
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. season — of the year
  20. mate — to breed
  21. season — in sport
  22. pit — a hole
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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