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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rush — hurry
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  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