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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. field — farmland
  4. suit — clothes
  5. key — the most important part
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. key — in music
  12. wake — a trail
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. kick — in football
  17. key — for a lock
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — to fit
  20. field — a subject
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. field — for sport
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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