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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mug — to rob
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ground — crushed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mug — a face
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. ground — a position
  12. kick — in football
  13. ground — the earth
  14. can — a tin
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — a series
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chip — to eat
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rash — hasty

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