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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. face — part of the head
  4. key — in music
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. kick — in football
  8. clip — a video
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. key — for a lock
  11. clip — for paper
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — boats
  16. key — the most important part
  17. face — to point toward
  18. craft — a skill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. clip — to cut
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. kick — a thrill

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