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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. perch — the fish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rest — a break
  14. rule — a law
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. fork — in a road
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — to bear
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rest — what's left
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. current — of water

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