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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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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: lean · cap · kick · bay · arm · season · mate · drill

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. season — in sport
  8. drill — army training
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lean — thin
  11. mate — to breed
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — in football
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mate — a partner
  21. season — of the year
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lean — to rest against
  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