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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. present — the time now
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kick — in football
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kid — child
  15. rule — government
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rule — a law
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. suit — clothes
  24. present — a gift

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