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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ground — a position
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bear — the animal
  12. kick — in football
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. key — in music
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. key — the most important part
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lie — an untruth

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