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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — in a race
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bat — the animal
  7. season — of the year
  8. rock — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — in sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rest — a break
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. kick — in football

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