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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. kick — in football
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fork — in a road
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. branch — a division
  9. kid — child
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — of the year
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. kid — to tease
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. season — in sport
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fork — a garden tool

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