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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 124 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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. mark — a grade
  3. season — of the year
  4. rule — government
  5. roll — a cake
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. cue — for pool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — a list
  18. cue — a signal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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