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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. current — happening now
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. current — of water
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. last — finally
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kick — in football
  24. fine — high quality

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