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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 124 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rash — hasty
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. can — to be able to
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — a partner
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ruler — a monarch

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