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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. kick — in football
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — certain
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rule — a law
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mug — to rob
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rule — government
  18. craft — a skill
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bound — tied together
  21. date — the fruit
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mug — a face
  24. craft — boats

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