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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a cup
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chair — a leader
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. staff — employees
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — employees
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — a stick
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. chair — to sit on

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