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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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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. kick — in football
  5. rule — government
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rule — a law
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — goods
  13. suit — in cards
  14. row — to paddle
  15. stock — shares
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lean — thin
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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