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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. face — part of the head
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — to confront
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. present — a gift
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — of the year
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — the time now
  22. face — to point toward
  23. suit — clothes
  24. season — in sport

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