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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. kick — in football
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. dip — to sink
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — music

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