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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. kick — in football
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. suit — in cards
  7. season — of the year
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cue — a signal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cell — a phone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cell — in biology
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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