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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ball — a great time
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rash — a series
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kick — in football
  24. bark — of a tree

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