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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. press — a publisher
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — in football
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. press — to push
  8. bark — to shout
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. press — newspapers
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. lie — to recline

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