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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 116 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bat — the animal
  11. kick — in football
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. nail — on a finger

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