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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. foot — a measure
  8. plane — a tool
  9. prune — to trim
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — for catching
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rash — a series
  16. charge — in control
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. net — after costs
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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