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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.

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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lean — thin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — an injury
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. object — to protest
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. kick — in football
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — to rest against

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