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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bound — certain
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — boats
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bound — tied together
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bound — obliged
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — to fit

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