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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  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. can — a tin
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kick — in football
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — a hint
  10. drill — the tool
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. stem — to come from
  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