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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — in cards
  9. object — an aim
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — to protest
  16. suit — to fit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. current — of water
  20. object — a thing
  21. content — happy
  22. current — electric
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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