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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — a path
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. charge — in control
  10. kick — in football
  11. kid — child
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. charge — a price
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. stock — shares
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wake — a trail
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kid — to tease
  24. ruler — a monarch

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