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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · cabinet · kick · club · staff · season · temple · rash

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. season — of the year
  5. staff — a stick
  6. rash — a series
  7. last — final
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rash — hasty
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. season — in sport
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. kick — in football
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. last — to go on
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — employees
  22. club — for golf
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — a group

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