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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. last — finally
  3. root — of a word
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. deal — to handle
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. season — of the year
  9. staff — employees
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. staff — a stick
  14. root — the cause
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rest — a break
  18. staff — employees
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. season — in sport
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. season — to add flavour

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