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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cold — an illness
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — the animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pit — in a race
  15. kick — in football
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cold — not warm
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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