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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. season — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. club — a group
  15. fork — in a road
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — what's left
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. club — for golf
  24. rest — a break

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