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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. kick — in football
  3. season — in sport
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. season — of the year
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — electricity
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. charge — in control
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lean — thin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. foot — a measure
  22. lean — to bend
  23. charge — a price
  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