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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 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mine — for digging
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kick — in football
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — high quality
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — of water
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — an explosive

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