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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fine — high quality
  8. degree — an amount
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wind — moving air
  12. kick — in football
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — a face
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mug — a cup
  17. degree — from a university
  18. band — a music group
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a ring
  22. fine — all right
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. kick — a thrill

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