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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. scale — size or range
  8. stand — to bear
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — to cut
  12. squash — the sport
  13. kick — in football
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. cue — a signal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. scale — in music
  24. lie — to recline

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