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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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rash — a series
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hand — in cards
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — a signal
  17. kick — in football
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — to breed
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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