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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pop — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — in sport
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. season — of the year
  15. drill — a practice
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pop — soda
  20. drill — the tool
  21. toast — bread
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pop — to visit
  24. racket — for tennis

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