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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.

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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wound — an injury
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — a hint
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. kick — in football
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. suit — to fit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cue — a signal

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