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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. net — for catching
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kick — in football
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. net — in sport
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. suit — to fit
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. net — after costs

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