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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. spell — magic
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. staff — employees
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. net — in sport
  10. kick — in football
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. net — for catching
  17. charge — electricity
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. charge — a price
  21. season — in sport
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. net — after costs

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