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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — an aim
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. ground — a position
  8. object — to protest
  9. ground — crushed
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fine — all right
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fine — high quality
  23. object — a thing
  24. mouse — the animal

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