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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pop — soda
  6. kick — in football
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. craft — boats
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pop — music
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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