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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cold — an illness
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cold — not warm
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. kick — in football
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — clothes
  13. season — in sport
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bark — to shout
  20. season — of the year
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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