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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
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: season · leaves · kick · clip · rock · squash · wave · bowl

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. kick — in football
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. rock — a stone
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rock — music
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — with your hand

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