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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — letters
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. swing — in golf
  8. board — a committee
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. swing — music
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. plane — a tool
  16. spell — a short time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. board — to get on
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — magic
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cue — a hint

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