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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. cue — for pool
  4. kick — in football
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — to recline
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. ground — a position
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — an aim
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. object — a thing
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. object — to protest
  24. cue — a signal

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