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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: season · lie · toast · band · lean · mouse · mark · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. season — of the year
  6. mark — a grade
  7. season — in sport
  8. kick — in football
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — bread
  16. lean — thin
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to bend
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. band — a music group

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