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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mug — to rob
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — a company
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — to get on
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kick — in football
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — decided
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mug — a face
  19. wind — moving air
  20. board — a committee
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tear — to rip
  24. lie — an untruth

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