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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. kick — in football
  3. cap — a lid
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. present — a gift
  8. pop — soda
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — music
  12. cap — a hat
  13. present — there
  14. chip — to eat
  15. present — the time now
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pop — to visit

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