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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: board · kick · bowl · cue · chip · season · march · staff

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. march — the month
  3. season — in sport
  4. cue — a signal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — a hint
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. chip — to eat
  11. march — music
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. cue — for pool
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. staff — a stick
  16. board — to get on
  17. march — the month
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. board — a committee
  20. kick — in football
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. season — of the year
  24. staff — employees

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