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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.

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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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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: wind · toast · suit · mark · foot · squash · kick · season

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. suit — to fit
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wind — moving air
  7. season — in sport
  8. kick — in football
  9. wind — moving air
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. foot — a measure
  16. season — of the year
  17. suit — in cards
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. toast — bread
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. squash — the sport

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