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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. kick — in football
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. snap — to click
  7. chip — to eat
  8. court — of a king
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bore — to drill
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of law
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — for sport
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to tire
  24. dip — to sink

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