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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. kick — in football
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lean — thin
  19. object — a thing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fine — a penalty

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