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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mine — for digging
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pop — music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. deal — to handle
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — a break
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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