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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pass — a permit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — in football
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. craft — boats
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. rock — music
  20. mug — a cup
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mug — a face

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