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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. shower — rain
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pit — a hole
  7. kick — in football
  8. land — a country
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. snap — to click
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. cue — a signal
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. root — of a plant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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