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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pit — a hole
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. craft — boats
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — a skill
  24. court — for sport

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