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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wake — a trail
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. kick — in football
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wound — an injury
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hand — help
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. net — in sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. net — for catching
  23. rock — a stone
  24. temple — a place of worship

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