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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. kick — in football
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wound — an injury
  24. tube — a container

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