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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. spell — letters
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. kick — in football
  16. can — a tin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — a short time
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spell — magic
  21. season — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fine — a penalty

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