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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. charge — in control
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — in football
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — the underground
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spell — letters
  11. rule — government
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — boats
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rule — a law
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — a price
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. tube — a container

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