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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cue — for pool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — a friend
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rock — music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mate — to breed
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rock — to move gently

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