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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: present · season · leaves · game · pass · net · mug · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. net — for catching
  3. season — of the year
  4. game — a match
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. game — wild animals
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. present — there
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. present — a gift
  14. net — in sport
  15. mug — to rob
  16. present — the time now
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pass — a permit
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. net — after costs
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mug — a face

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