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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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468
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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cold — an illness
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. deal — to handle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fall — the season
  19. cold — not warm
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. coach — a trainer

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