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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lean — thin
  11. last — finally
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — happening now
  15. last — to go on
  16. current — electric
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kid — to tease
  21. current — of water
  22. last — final
  23. rush — hurry
  24. kid — child

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