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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · snap · temple · leaves · kick · fan · face · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. snap — to click
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lean — to bend
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. face — to confront
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. season — of the year
  22. face — to point toward
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — lets stay

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