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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kick — in football
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fine — all right
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rule — government
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rule — a law
  24. suit — to fit

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