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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. present — a gift
  6. land — a country
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. kick — in football
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. present — the time now
  14. spell — letters
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. present — there
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. can — a tin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. sharp — clever
  24. spell — magic

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