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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. field — for sport
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fine — all right
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. field — farmland
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pass — a permit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chip — for betting
  18. field — a subject
  19. hand — help
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. chip — to eat
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fine — high quality
  24. kick — with a leg

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