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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wind — moving air
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. kick — in football
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pound — a weight
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. suit — in cards

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