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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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rule — government
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the fish
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. swing — music
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rule — a law
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. kick — in football
  19. bass — low music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — to protest
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. swing — to play on

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