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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wake — a trail
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kick — in football
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bore — to tire
  21. season — in sport
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bore — gave birth

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