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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 120 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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468
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. present — there
  8. kick — in football
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rock — music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — a gift

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