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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: lash · chair · present · can · season · rule · content · kick

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. content — the amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. present — a gift
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. content — happy
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. present — there
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. season — in sport
  16. rule — government
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. kick — in football
  21. rule — a law
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. present — the time now
  24. chair — a professorship

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