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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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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: bear · foot · kick · fall · snap · wave · current · season

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. kick — in football
  3. fall — the season
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. fall — to drop
  9. current — happening now
  10. foot — a measure
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — electric
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. season — of the year
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. snap — to click
  23. bear — the animal
  24. season — in sport

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