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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. object — to protest
  4. staff — employees
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. kid — to tease
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. staff — a stick
  15. object — a thing
  16. kid — child
  17. object — an aim
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. season — in sport
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rule — a law
  22. season — of the year
  23. rule — government
  24. bowl — a dish

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