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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kick — in football
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. firm — decided
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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