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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. kick — in football
  4. clip — a video
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. clip — to cut
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. clip — for paper
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a trace
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. mouse — the animal

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