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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. season — in sport
  13. march — the month
  14. suit — to fit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. march — music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kick — in football
  24. suit — clothes

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