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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bound — certain
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rule — government
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. root — of a word
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. root — the cause
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bound — obliged
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. kick — in football
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rule — a law
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. snap — to click

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