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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. can — a tin
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. can — to be able to
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. wind — moving air
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. object — a thing
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — the fruit
  19. lean — thin
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lean — to bend
  24. date — on the calendar

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