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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bound — certain
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. can — a tin
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bound — obliged
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — shares
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mine — for digging
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lean — thin
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. stock — goods
  24. mine — belonging to me

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