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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 124 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. capital — a city
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. capital — money
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. kick — in football
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wake — a trail
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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