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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. chest — a box
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fall — the season
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rest — what's left

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