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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bound — obliged
  11. squash — to crush
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bound — certain
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ground — the earth
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. suit — clothes
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ground — a position
  24. sharp — clever

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