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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. chest — a box
  4. cap — of ice
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. kick — in football
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. spell — letters
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — a hat
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cap — a lid

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