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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.

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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. key — the most important part
  5. season — of the year
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. cap — a lid
  8. swing — in golf
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — of ice
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. key — in music
  16. kick — in football
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cap — a hat
  20. season — in sport
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fork — in a road
  24. branch — of a tree

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