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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. season — of the year
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. present — the time now
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. present — there
  16. branch — a division
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. present — a gift
  19. season — in sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chip — to eat
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — in football

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