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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: spell · rest · kick · suit · season · jam · chip · pitch

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. chip — to eat
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — in cards
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. spell — magic
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rest — what's left

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