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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pit — in a race
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. present — there
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pit — a hole
  19. vault — a safe
  20. present — the time now
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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