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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. firm — decided
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mug — a face
  15. firm — steady
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. firm — a company
  21. saw — the tool
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. spring — a coil

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