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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cue — for pool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cue — a hint
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. can — a tin
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. drill — a practice
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. drill — army training
  24. calf — a young animal

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