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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. season — of the year
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. current — electric
  6. mug — a face
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — happening now
  10. pit — in a race
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. kick — in football
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. current — of water
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. season — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mug — to rob
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mug — a cup
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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