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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. spell — magic
  3. mate — to breed
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. kick — in football
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. season — of the year
  10. plane — a tool
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mate — a friend
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. season — in sport
  15. mate — a partner
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. spell — letters
  19. wake — a trail
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — a short time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. plane — in geometry

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