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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. bound — tied together
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. present — a gift
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cue — a signal
  11. current — happening now
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bound — certain
  15. stem — to come from
  16. current — of water
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cue — a hint
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mate — a partner
  24. current — electric

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