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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kick — in football
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rest — a break
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — in music
  18. mug — a face
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cue — a signal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cue — for pool
  24. scale — size or range

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