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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. present — a gift
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. present — the time now
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. net — for catching
  12. present — there
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — the sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. net — in sport

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