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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kick — in football
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. spell — letters
  8. rest — a break
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spell — magic
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pound — a weight
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — to recline
  24. race — humankind

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