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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. race — a contest
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. season — in sport
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. race — humankind
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. lean — to bend
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lean — thin
  15. rule — a law
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. season — of the year
  21. rule — government
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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