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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. row — a line
  3. drill — the tool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. season — of the year
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. charge — in control
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. kick — in football
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. drill — army training
  21. lie — to recline
  22. band — a ring
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. charge — a price

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