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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: spell · season · kick · pass · mine · chip · board · bay

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. season — of the year
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. chip — for betting
  7. spell — a short time
  8. season — in sport
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. board — a committee
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mine — for digging
  14. spell — magic
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. kick — in football
  21. board — to get on
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. spell — letters

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