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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bound — obliged
  10. face — to confront
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. scale — in music
  14. bound — certain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. fine — high quality
  19. press — to push
  20. scale — size or range
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — all right

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