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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chair — a leader
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. stock — goods
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. wake — a trail
  17. stock — shares
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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