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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — to protest
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cap — a lid
  8. kick — in football
  9. fine — all right
  10. season — of the year
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cap — of ice
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. cap — a hat
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. branch — a division
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fine — high quality

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