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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. firm — decided
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — humankind
  5. firm — steady
  6. race — the arms race
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. club — for golf
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cue — for pool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — a company
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — in football
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. race — a contest
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bass — the instrument

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