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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — to rob
  3. staff — employees
  4. capital — a city
  5. kick — in football
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pop — to visit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — money
  11. pop — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. staff — a stick
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mug — a face
  18. date — the fruit
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. craft — boats
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — soda
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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