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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. present — the time now
  6. mug — to rob
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. kick — in football

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