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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. kick — in football
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — steady
  18. capital — a city
  19. staff — employees
  20. bat — the animal
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. capital — money

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