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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. suit — in cards
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. kick — in football
  13. cue — a signal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — after costs
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cue — a hint
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. toast — bread
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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