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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: lean · temple · rush · track · jam · season · coach · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lean — thin
  12. season — in sport
  13. track — a path
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. track — a song
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — hurry
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. season — of the year
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rush — to hurry

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