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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.

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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. last — finally
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. kick — in football
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — final
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. last — to go on
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. row — a quarrel

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