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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bound · kick · season · sharp · jam · foot · squash · stick

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bound — certain
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. season — in sport
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bound — tied together
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. squash — to crush
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. kick — in football
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. sharp — clever

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