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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — a path
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wind — moving air
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fine — all right
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — in cards
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fine — high quality
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kick — in football
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. track — a song
  23. vault — a safe
  24. racket — a loud noise

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