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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: mug · arm · roll · season · kid · stick · sharp · fan

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. roll — a list
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mug — a face
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mug — a cup
  16. kid — child
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. season — in sport
  20. mug — to rob
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kid — to tease
  24. arm — part of the body

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