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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. firm — a company
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. prune — to trim
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. firm — steady
  23. cue — a signal
  24. prune — to trim

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