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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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. cap — a hat
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. kick — in football
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — to protest
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mug — a cup
  13. cap — a lid
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — an aim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mate — to breed
  19. object — a thing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — a partner
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mug — a face
  24. mate — a friend

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