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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rest — a break
  4. craft — boats
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — clever
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rest — what's left
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fall — to drop
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rest — what's left
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fall — the season
  24. suit — clothes

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