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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: rush · stock · present · hide · kick · bulb · sharp · season

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. present — there
  3. kick — in football
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. present — a gift
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. present — the time now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. season — in sport
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rush — hurry
  20. season — of the year
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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