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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — to come down
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — to be able to
  8. land — ground
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — obliged
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. bound — certain
  18. can — a tin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. land — a country
  21. suit — clothes
  22. firm — a company
  23. bound — tied together
  24. kick — in football

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