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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: kick · pass · straw · key · leaves · kid · press · season

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. kid — child
  3. kick — in football
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. season — of the year
  7. press — newspapers
  8. kid — to tease
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. press — to push
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pass — a permit
  19. season — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. press — a publisher
  22. key — in music
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. kick — a thrill

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