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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. file — a tool
  3. lie — to recline
  4. swing — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mine — for digging
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a document
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. file — a line of people
  23. kick — in football
  24. swing — in golf

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