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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mark — a trace
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a great time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tear — from crying

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