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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. suit — to fit
  4. season — in sport
  5. game — a match
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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