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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — help
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spell — letters
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. club — for golf
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — a short time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kick — in football
  21. spell — magic
  22. club — a group
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. suit — in cards

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