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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. shower — rain
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cap — a lid
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kick — in football
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lie — to recline

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