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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: bowl · craft · board · dip · kick · mate · foot · season

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. craft — boats
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. season — of the year
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. kick — in football
  7. mate — to breed
  8. board — to get on
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mate — a friend
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mate — a partner
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. board — a committee
  24. craft — a handicraft

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