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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: kick · firm · season · racket · sharp · chip · fan · foot

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. kick — in football
  6. firm — steady
  7. season — of the year
  8. firm — a company
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. chip — to eat
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. season — in sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — for betting
  24. foot — 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