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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. key — in music
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. object — a thing
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cell — in biology
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. row — to paddle
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. object — to protest
  12. pop — to visit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — for a lock
  15. row — a line
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pop — soda
  20. object — an aim
  21. key — the most important part
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pop — music
  24. cell — a phone

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