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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. current — happening now
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tear — to rip
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. staff — employees
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. staff — employees
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pitch — a sports field

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