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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. lean — thin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — clothes
  5. spell — a short time
  6. toast — bread
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. spell — magic
  10. file — a document
  11. suit — to fit
  12. kick — in football
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spell — letters
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — in cards

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