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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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. mark — a grade
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. club — for golf
  9. row — to paddle
  10. club — for dancing
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — the fish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bass — low music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — a trace
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. track — a path
  21. club — a group
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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