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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. season — in sport
  5. bass — low music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — to sink
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. kick — in football
  10. march — the month
  11. season — of the year
  12. mate — to breed
  13. march — music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. face — to point toward
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — to fit
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. face — to confront
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mate — a friend
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — clothes
  24. face — part of the head

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