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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mug — a face
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. kick — in football
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rule — government
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rule — a law
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mark — a trace

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