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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. capital — money
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. capital — a city
  11. pop — music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. press — to push
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rash — hasty
  21. press — a publisher
  22. kick — in football
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rash — a series

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