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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — in football
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. craft — boats
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — high quality
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bear — the animal
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — all right
  22. mark — a trace
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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