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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — to rob
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. lean — to bend
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mug — a face
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — thin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bear — to put up with

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