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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. face — to confront
  3. bark — to shout
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — to sink
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. kick — in football
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cue — a hint
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bass — low music
  22. charge — in control
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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