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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 were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — a tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — of the year
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. chip — to eat
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. chip — for betting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. band — a ring
  19. mate — to breed
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. season — in sport

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