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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. band — a music group
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a dance
  10. current — electric
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. band — a ring
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. current — happening now
  23. mark — a grade
  24. lean — to bend

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