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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: bound · bear · rush · can · lie · racket · season · kick

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bound — obliged
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bound — certain
  10. kick — in football
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — tied together
  20. season — in sport
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — to recline
  24. kick — with a leg

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