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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: stick · sharp · hand · staff · cap · season · kick · club

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. staff — a stick
  5. club — for dancing
  6. sharp — clever
  7. kick — in football
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. season — in sport
  10. staff — employees
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — a group
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. hand — help
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. season — of the year
  19. club — for golf
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cap — of ice
  23. staff — employees
  24. cap — a hat

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