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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fine — all right
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bank — of a river
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. mate — a partner
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mate — a friend
  14. season — of the year
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. season — in sport
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fine — high quality
  19. snap — to click
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. kick — in football
  22. chair — a leader
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. toast — bread

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